Shifting post loose leaf binder



Feb. 3, 1959 H. A. PAGET SHIFTING POST LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 15;1956 I/VVENTOR GEORGE HERBERT ARNOLD PAGET FTTORIVEY! United StatesPatent SHIFTING POST LOOSE LEAF BINDER George Herbert Arnold Paget, WestVancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application August 13, 1956, SerialNo. 603,490 4 Claims. 01. 129-12 This invention relates to improvementsin loose leaf binders.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a loose leafbinder which may be partiallyopened up to provide free access to thesheets thereof without danger of the sheets accidentally becomingdisplaced.

Another object is the provision of a binder with a locking arrangementfor the sheets which may be released for the easy insertion of a sheet,and/or for the removal of a sheet without danger of shifting othersheets which may be in contact with the one being removed.

Another object is the provision of the combination of a binder of thenature described along with a sheet especially designed to co-operatewith the locking arrangement of the binder.

A further object is the provision of a binder and sheet arrangementwhereby the sheets may readily be inserted and removed without damagingthe post-receiving slots thereof.

A binder according to the present invention includes a pair of covershaving a. locking arrangement at corresponding ends thereof. The lockingarrangement includes a stationary and a movable post. These posts areusually mounted on the back cover of the binder, and they are sodescribed herein, but they may also be mounted on the front cover. Thestationary post is fixedly mounted on the back cover and fits through ahole in the other cover, while the movable post is mounted on the samecover spaced from the stationary post and projects through a hole insaid other cover. One of the holes in the front cover is a slot, andthis is usually the one through which the movable post projects.Suitable means is connected to the movable post for moving it towardsand away from the stationary post, and means is provided on the frontcover releasably connecting it to both posts.

This binder is used in combination with a sheet having spaced L-shapedslots extending inwardly from an edge thereof with base portionsextending towards each other. The binder posts normally fit in the baseportions of the sheet slots to lock the sheet in the binder. When themovable post is shifted away from the stationary post, the sheet mayeasily be inserted and withdrawn.

An example of this invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of this binder with the covers locked inthe normal position, and showing the locking arrangement thereof,

Figure 2 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the front cover andlocking arrangement at the end of the binder,

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a plan view similar to Figure 2 of the back cover,

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section through both covers, taken onthe line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is anenlarged vertical section taken through both covers on theline 66 of Figure 2,

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken through the top cover only on theline 7-7 of Figure 2, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the slotted end of a sheet used inco-operation with this binder, the two binder posts being shown in theirnormal positions in the sheet slots.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is the shifting post loose leaf binderhaving a plurality of sheets 12 removably positioned therein. Thesesheets are especially designed for this binder, and each one has spacedL-shaped slots 15 and 16 extending inwardly from an edge 17 thereof.

. These slots have base portions 19 and 20 extending towards each other,as clearly shown in Figure 8. The base slots 19 and 20 form lips 21 and22 at' the inner side of their respective slots 15 and 16, and ifdesired these lips may be bevelled at 23 and 24 in order to widen theentrances of the slots at the sheet edge.

The binder 10 includes covers and 32. As previously stated, either ofthese covers may be the front and the other the back cover, but for thesake of convenience, 30 will be considered the front cover and 32 theback cover. A locking arrangement generally designated by the numeral 35is located at corresponding ends of the covers, as clearly shown inFigure 1. This locking arrangement includes a stationary post 38 and amovable post 40 permanently connected to one cover and releasablyconnected to the other.

In the preferred form of the invention, elongated substantially tubularcasings 44 and 46 extend along corresponding ends of covers 30 and 32,and are connected thereto by hinges 48 and 49, respectively.

The stationary post 38 is fixedly secured to the casing 46 in anydesired manner. In the illustrated example, the

post is provided with a threaded projection 52 at its inner end whichextends through the top of casing 46 and is threaded into a block 53fixedly mounted within said casing, see Figures 3 and 5. This postprojects outwardly from the casing and cover and extends through a hole55 in casing 44 of cover 30.

Post 40 is fixedly mounted on a bar 58 slidably mounted in-casing 46near one end thereof, said post being spaced from post 38. The post maybe connected to the bar in any convenient manner. This may be done bymeans of a threaded projection 60 which extends from the inner end ofthe post and is threaded through a block 61 secured to the bar, seeFigures 4 and 6. The post extends through a slot 62. in the innersurface of casing 46, see

- Figure 4.

one edge and oppositely projecting feet 66 and 67 along its oppositeedge. The head and feet of this bar fit into the cross sectional shapeof casing 46 to provide sliding connections therebetween, as clearlyshown in Figure 6.

Post 40 extends from casing 46 through a hole 70 through casing 44 ofcover 39. Either of the holes 55 or 76 should be a slot, and in thisexample, the latter is a slot, as shown in Figure 1.

A locking bar is slidably mounted in casing 44, and it may be of anydesired construction. However, it is preferably formed with the samecross sectional shape as the bar 58, and this is shown in Figures 5 to7. The locking bar has slots '7 7 and 7 8 therein through which posts 38and 46 extend.

The bars 58 and '75 may be shifted back and forth along their respectivecasings in any desired manner. In this example, bar 58 has a recess 82formed therein near one end thereof, said recess having a restrictedentrance 83. A screw 85 is threaded through a nut 86 fixedly mounted incasing 46 near an end thereof, and has a head 87 onits inner endi'reelyfittinginto the barrecess 82. It is preferable to use a screw having acoarse thread so that it will be quick-acting, that is, one revolutionof the screw will move the, post througha. relatively large portion ofits required travel. The-outer end-ofthe screw. projects beyond theeasing-and; is squared as at 89 to receive a key or the like.;

Another screw '92 ;projects into an end of zcasingdds and is threadedthrouglra nut 93-fixedly mounted therein. This screw has a head, 95 onits inner end freely fitting in a recess 96am locking bar 75, saidrecess having a restrictedentrance 97 at thebar'end, This screwpreferably has a, coarse thread, andprojects-beyondthe end of thecasingandis squaredas at 9n toreceive a key or the like,

Thesheetslzgfit between the,;covers 30 and 32 of binder ltl.

Posts 38 and;4(l;extend;through the base portions 19 and 20 of slotsand,16,0f the sheets, as shown in Figure 8. With this-arrangement, the.sheets cannot be withdrawn from the binder even;if the-covers are nottightly pressed against said sheets.

When entries are being made on the binder sheets, it is helpful to havethe sheets fairly loose therein, but this cannot be done if there is adanger of the sheets being accidentally dislodged from the binder.Furthermore, the sheets lie flatterinthe open binder when they areloosethan when they are tightly gripped in the binder. One of theadvantages of this binder isthat the locking bar 75'may be moved byturning screw 92 to free the posts 33 and 40, after which cover 30 maybe moved away from cover 32 to loosen the sheets, and then it may belocked on the posts-by turning ;the screw further in the same directiontocause the bar to bind on the stationary post. The sheets are-nowfairly loose in the binder, as there is aminimum-of contact between thesheets and posts-due-tothe particular design of the slots in the sheets,By-referring to Figure 8, it will be seen that the sheets come intocontact with about 50% of each post only, as indicated at 102 and 1&3.Although the sheets are loose, they cannot come out since the posts arestill in; the base portions of the sheet slots, lips 21. and 22preventing dislodgment of the sheets at this time.

When it is desired to remove a sheet from or insert one into the binder,the locking bar is shifted to its release position. Then screw 85 isturned to draw bar 58-along its casing to shift post 40 away from thestationary post 38. Post 40 moves to the position shown in dotted linesin Figure 8 at this time in line with the main portion of slot 16. Lips21 still tend to keep the sheets on post 38. Therefore, the sheet to beremoved must be pulled and more or less swung around the stationary postin order that it may be withdrawn from the binder. This swinging actiontends to freeit from the sheets that may be pressing against itsopposite faces, and as the latter sheets arestill held in the binder bytheir respective lips 21 at the stationary, post, there is very littledanger of them coming out with the sheet being removed. A sheet isinserted in the binder when it is in the unlocked state by firstmoving'slot 15 over post 38, and then swinging the sheet around the postto cause post ditto enter slot 16. Once this is done, screw 85 is turnedto move post 4%] back towards post 38. This causes relative movementbetween the sheet and posts so that the latter end up in thebaseportions of the slots, thereby positioning the sheet correctly in thebinder. The operation is completed when bar 75 is shifted to grip theposts to lock the cover in place.

WhatI claim as my invention is:

1. In a loose leaf hinder, the combination comprising a pair of covers,a stationary'post mounted on one cover near an end-thereof andprojecting outwardly through a hole'in the other cover, saidholebeingjust large enough to accommodate the stationary post, a movablepost mounted on said one cover spaced along said end from the stationarypostuand extending through a hole in said other cover, the hole in saidother cover being a slot, means connected to the movable post for movingit towards and away from the stationary post, a locking bar slidablymounted on said other cover and having slots extending longitudinallythereof in registry with the cover hole and slot and through-.which-theposts extend, andmeans connected .to, the locking barfor shifting italong its cover in one direction to cause the bar to bind on the postsand in the oppositedirection to free itself from the latter, said barslots being solocated. and of such length that continued movementof,the.bar in said opposite. direction causes the bar to bind on thestationary post and on the movable post when thelatter is in a normalposition at one end of the bar slot through which it extends to locksaid cover on the posts while permitting the movable post to be movedtowards the opposite end of its slot without releasing saidother coven-2. In a loose leaf hinder, the combination comprising a pair of covershaving-,tubulartcasings along corresponding ends thereof, a stationarypost mounted on one casing and fittingthroughahole. throngh. the othercasing, said hole being just large enough to accommodate the stationarypost, a bar slidably mounted in said one casing, a post mounted onthebar spaced from the stationary post and extending out through a slot insaid one casing andthrough a slot;through said other casing, meansconnected-to thebarfor'moving it and the post mounted thereon alongsaidone casing, a locking bar slida-bly mounted'in said othertcasing andhaving slots extending; longitudinally thereofin registry with thecasing hole and slot and through which the posts extend,-

and means connected-to the-lockingbar for shifting it along said;one,-casing;in.;one direction, to cause said bar to, bindon the postswandjn ;the opposite direction to free itself from the latter, said barslots being so located and having spaced L-shaped slots extendinginwardly froman edge thereof with base portions extending parallel tosaid edge in opposite directions, and a pair of covers havinga lockingarrangement at corresponding ends thereof; said locking arrangementcomprising a stationary post mounted on andprojecting outwardly from onecover, a post movably mounted on said one cover spaced from andsubstantially parallel with the stationary post, the other cover havingtherethrough a hole just large enough to accommodate the stationary postand a slot spaced therefrom and aligned therewith through which themovable post slidably extends, means at said one cover and connected tothe movable post for moving it towards and away from the stationary postand along the slot of said other cover, a locking bar slidably mountedon said other cover and having slots extending longitudinally thereof inregistry with the cover hole and slot and through which theposts extend,and means connected to the lockingbar for shifting it along its coverinone direction to cause the bar to bind on the posts and in the oppositedirection to free itself from the latter, said bar slots being solocated and of such length that continued movement of the bar in saidopposite direction causes the bar to bind on the stationary post and onthe movable post when the latter is in a normal position at one end ofthe slots through which it extends to lock said other cover on the postswhile permitting the movable post to be moved towards the opposite endof its slots without releasingsaid other cover; said posts normallyfitting in the base portions of the sheet slots to lock the sheet in thebinder and when the movable post is shifted away from the stationarypost, the sheet may be withdrawn.

4. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a sheet having spacedL-shaped slots extending inwardly from an edge thereof With baseportions extending parallel to said edge in opposite directions, and apair of covers having tubular casings along corresponding ends thereofwith a locking arrangement associated therewith; said lockingarrangement comprising a stationary post mounted on and projectingoutwardly from one casing, a bar slidably mounted in said one casing, apost mounted on the bar spaced from and substantially parallel with thestationary post and extending out through a slot in said one casing, theother casing having therethrough a hole just large enough to accommodatethe stationary post and a slot directly over and aligned with said onecasing slot and through which the bar post slidably extends, means atsaid one casing and connected to the bar for moving it and the postmounted thereon along the casings and the aligned slots thereof, alocking bar slidably mounted in said other casing and having slotsextending longitudinally thereof in registry with the casing hole andslot through which the posts extend, and means connected to the lockingbar for shifting it along its casing in one direction to cause said barto bind on the posts and in the opposite direction to free itself fromthe latter, said bar slots being so located and of such length thatcontinued movement of the bar in said opposite direction causes the barto bind on the stationary post and on the movable post when the latteris in a normal position at one end of the slots through which it extendsto lock said other casing on the posts while permitting the movable postto be moved towards the opposite end of its slots without releasing saidother casing; said posts normally fitting in the base portions of thesheet slots to lock the sheet in the binder and when the movable post isshifted away from the stationary post the sheet may be withdrawn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

